


Ship it like binary stars

by weilongfu



Category: HIStory3: 那一天 | HIStory3: Make Our Days Count
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Professors, Alternate Universe - Teachers, Don't copy to another site, Fluff, Getting Together, M/M, cameos by other HIStory characters, other minor pairings - Freeform, the students ship it
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-09
Updated: 2020-02-09
Packaged: 2021-02-28 00:28:18
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,281
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22624810
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/weilongfu/pseuds/weilongfu
Summary: Xiang Hao Ting was excited to start as a new faculty member of the Physics department at University H. He never expected to meet Yu Xi Gu, his polar opposite, from high school. However, instead of animosity, admiration blooms. This does not go unnoticed by the student population. Not one bit.
Relationships: Xiang Hao Ting/Yu Xi Gu
Comments: 16
Kudos: 117





	Ship it like binary stars

**Author's Note:**

  * For [shaenanigans](https://archiveofourown.org/users/shaenanigans/gifts).



Xiang Hao Ting tried his best to keep a neutral pleased expression on his face despite how long the introductory tour had taken. All his enthusiasm to begin setting up his lab and office space had been used up in introductions to the staff and faculty that he’d already met during the interview process. Still, it didn’t hurt to keep a good impression and reputation. The folly of Hao Ting’s misspent youth still loomed over his head and he was loathe to return to it.

And it was with that kind of resolve that Hao Ting continued to smile as the Dean of Physics, Dr. Tang Guo Dong, continued to show him around. 

“And this is the Physics Department Office,” Dr. Tang said as he opened the door. “Ah! A face you haven’t met yet! This is our most prominent faculty member-”

Hao Ting’s eyes widened as he cut the man off. “Yu Xi Gu? Yu Xi Gu from Zenren High? Is that really you?”

Xi Gu blinked before focusing on Hao Ting’s face, but a neutral smile quickly developed despite the lack of recognition. “I… Do we know each other?”

Hao Ting rubbed the back of his neck. “Ah… I forgot, you were in the elite class… We haven’t met before, but we went to Zenren High together. I remember you graduated at the top of the class.” Hao Ting extended his hand. “Xiang Hao Ting, it’s a pleasure to formally meet you.”

At last, a spark of recognition ignited in Xi Gu’s eyes. “The troublemaker,” he exclaimed as he shook Hao Ting’s hand.

Hao Ting looked nervously to Dr. Tang’s face but found no hint of anything amiss. “Ahaha… Those days are long past… I’m ashamed that you remember that.” 

“Well… It’ll be good. You’ll know all the tricks your students might pull.” Xi Gu’s smile changed into something more friendly and Hao Ting could feel it pierce through his chest. 

The first arrow had struck it’s target. Hao Ting had never met Xi Gu face to face, but he was aware of the other’s fanclub. Those interested in Iron Yu Xi Gu, a silent and lonely student that so many wanted to crack one way or another. No jokes or cajoling could make the shorter boy smile back in those days. Many said Xi Gu had even less to smile about. Yet Xi Gu had persisted through high school on many scholarships and even beyond. And here, now in an office years later, Haoting was one of the first from Zenren to be presented with Xi Gu’s genuine smile. How could he not be affected?

Hao Ting smiled back. “You are my senior here. Please guide me well, Dr. Yu.” Hao Ting bowed and it was Xi Gu’s turn to be impressed. 

Memories of Hao Ting, despite his exclamation, were vague. Stories of a wild child, uncowed by any authority, had run rampant. Chief among them were how Hao Ting had refused to show the most cursory of respect to anyone but his tightly knit gang. At the very least, Xi Gu had been glad that he was never the target of their hijinx. But he had always wondered about the freedom they possessed. To let himself enjoy those youthful years instead of toiling over books and between part-time jobs. Years later, and time had changed the wild child into an adult, but Hao Ting was still just as handsome and charismatic as he had vaguely remembered. 

“Well, isn’t this grand,” Dr. Tang said with a smile. “Our rising star and our newest professor are already getting along. I hope you two will collaborate and do great things in the future.”

“If Dean Tang wishes it so,” Xi Gu said with a bow. “Then, please let’s just be friendly. You can just call me Xi Gu.”

“Ah! Yes, yes, just call me Hao Ting then.”

“Splendid! Very splendid!” Dr. Tang patted both men on the shoulder. “Xi Gu, why don’t you show Hao Ting some places to get lunch? I have to get to a meeting.”

While Dr. Tang’s analysis of the interaction was far from wrong, some of the students in the office had other opinions on the matter.

“You should have seen it,” Zhao Li An, affectionately known as Zhao Zi to essentially everyone, said with stars in his eyes later that day. “Dr. Yu and the new professor! It’s so exciting!”

“What’s so exciting about two professors meeting?” Zhao Zi’s best friend, Meng Shao Fei, asked as he punched numbers into his calculator. “We’re not even taking any classes with the new professor.”

“Yeah we are.” Zhao Zi pulled out his schedule and pointed at a class. “See? We’re both taking Topics in Advanced Mechanics. Dr. Xiang is teaching it!”

Shao Fei’s finger hovered above the equal sign button. “Wait a minute. I told you I didn’t want to take Advanced Mechanics because Tang Yi was in that class.”

Zhao Zi suddenly looked away. “Oh did you? I must have forgotten when you asked me to register you for classes the other day…”

“ZHAO. LI. AN. Do not tell me you signed me up to take a class with you and my mortal enemy just so I’d be there to watch you stare at Fang Liang Dian’s ass.”

“Okay! I didn’t sign you up to take a class with me and your mortal enemy to watch me stare at Liang Dian’s ass. I signed you up because it’s a requirement!” Zhao Zi smiled. “See? Totally what I was supposed to do.”

“Oh…” Shao Fei scratched at his ear, now turning just a bit red. “Thanks… I guess.”

“Also… I signed you up so you could stare at Tang Yi’s ass!” Zhao Zi laughed. “You’re not subtle at all Ah Fei!”

Shao Fei threw his eraser at his so-called best friend and Zhao Zi ran away laughing.

\------

“So now that it’s been a month, how are you settling in?” Sun Bo Xiang, the head athletics coach, pushed a bottle of beer towards Hao Ting. “After all the hard work I did finding out that the Physics department was hiring, you’d better show some appreciation to me, or I’m not your brother anymore!”

Hao Ting stared into his bottle, eyes surprisingly soft. “My brother Sun Bo, if you are lucky, you will have a brother-in-law and that will earn my appreciation.”

“WHAT?!” Bo Xiang leaned in “A brother-in-law?! How? When? Why?!”

“What’s so surprising? I’ve been single for so long, shouldn’t you be glad I’ve met someone here?”

“Of course I’m happy about that, but who would you even meet in the Physics department?! Isn’t it all stuffy, old men that only know how to do math?”

Hao Ting scoffed. “I’m there, so of course it’s not!” Hao Ting finally took a drink of his beer. “Do you remember Yu Xi Gu? From back in high school?”

“The overachiever?”

Hao Ting nodded. “He works here too!”

“And?”

Hao Ting threw a peanut at Bo Xiang. “Connect the dots! Or are you too madly in love with your Zhi Gang-ge?”

Bo Xiang’s expression turned dopey for a moment. “Zhi Gang-ge is a great guy and his drink shop is- Wait… Connect the dots? You mean… You like Yu Xi Gu?! WHEN?” This time Bo Xiang reached across the table to shake his friend. “Since when did you even know Yu Xi Gu existed?!”

“How can I not know about the student that graduated top in our class and got accepted to every college he applied to? My parents shoved the newspaper article in my face everyday for two weeks!”

“But why do you  _ like him _ ?!”

Hao Ting sat back in his chair, the beer bottle held loosely in his fingertips. “How did you know you liked Zhi Gang-ge?”

“I just saw him and there was this feeling. And then he talked to me! And the more I knew…”

“That’s why I like Yu Xi Gu.”

“You mean-”

“I saw him smile at me on my first day.” Hao Ting put a hand over his heart. “And I felt it like an arrow through my heart. And then he took me to lunch because of Dr. Tang. And then I found out Yu Xi Gu loves carrots. It’s too cute! And then he told me he has a beetle! And then we talked about Physics!”

“Don’t tell me about the Physics. I’m already bored.”

Hao Ting smacked Bo Xiang’s head. “You asked how come I like Xi Gu. What in all that was there not to like? At least I can have a proper conversation with him, unlike you!”

As the two bickered, across the room, cleaning glasses at the bar, Xia Yu Hao quickly turned to Qiu Zi Xuan sitting at the bar, nursing a soda. “Zi Xuan, did you hear that? Dr. Xiang likes Dr. Yu!”

Zi Xuan frowned. “Xia Yu Hao! Don’t get distracted! Finish up so we can go on our date!”

Yu Hao huffed, but continued to polish glasses. “But it’s so cool! He got that feeling!”

Zi Xuan looked down at his soda, but he was smiling. “The same one you got?”

“Mine was so much cooler than his! It wasn’t an arrow, it was a punch to my gut.” 

Zi Xuan rolled his eyes, but his sigh was fond instead of exasperated. “You do like to go with your gut, don’t you Ah Hao.”

Yu Hao smiled. “It’s a very good gut. It got me senior.” This time, Zi Xuan’s sigh was exasperated, but at least he had to agree.

A little ways down the road, Xi Gu stirred his soymilk while the store owner and a close friend, Lu Zhi Gang, listened to him talk. The store was already closed for the day and in the background, Zhi Gang’s nephew Cheng Qing and Cheng Qing’s new step-brother Feng He, pottered about in the back, doing the last of the post-closing cleaning up. With a stern look, Zhi Gang had ensured the silence of the two college students and privacy for the adults.

“Ge… I just don’t know what to do with him…” Despite Xi Gu’s words, the tone was soft, and wistful. A smile haunted his lips. “I’m so close to tenure now… And getting involved with another professor…”

Zhi Gang pat Xi Gu’s hand. “When did you decide you liked him?”

“Did you know ge? Xiang Hao Ting knows how to cook? He made me pickled carrots just because he found out I liked carrots.”

Zhi Gang sighed, but he was smiling. “Your standards are too low, Xiao Gu.”

“No one has ever gone out of their way for me like that,” Xi Gu said with a pout. “And…” A pale blush rose on Xi Gu’s cheeks. “He’s very handsome,” he whispered. 

Zhi Gang chuckled. “You’re still young yet, Xiao Gu. Just let things take their time. If Xiang Hao Ting has changed from the boy you’ve told me about to the man he is today, he’ll stick around until you’re ready.”

“If gege says so.” Xi Gu took a sip of his soymilk. “So what about you? What happened to that sports coach that keeps coming up to you?”

Zhi Gang tactfully went back to wiping the counter top. “Who? Can’t recall who you’re talking about.”

As Xi Gu poked at Zhi Gang’s love life, Cheng Qing pulled Feng He aside. Feng He only protested out of reflex. “It looks like Dr. Xiang is going to have his work cut out for him,” Cheng Qing said without remorse. “Especially if jiujiu is against it with Dr. Yu.”

Feng He pulled his arm out of Cheng Qing’s grasp, ignoring the tingling sensation left in the wake of his step-brother’s touch. “I thought you said you were trying to keep a low profile. Why are you getting involved in what the professors are doing now?” 

“I haven’t done anything yet. But gege, if you’re worried…” Cheng Qing leaned in. “I can always redirect my attention elsewhere.” 

Feng He pushed him back. “Are you crazy? Your uncle is right there!”

“Jiujiu isn’t paying attention…”

“Jiujiu can hear you just fine!” Zhi Gang called out. “You’re not whispering very well!” Feng He’s face turned bright red and he pushed past Cheng Qing to escape. Cheng Qing turned to his uncle, an annoyed look clear on his handsome face. “You two are not really brothers and you never grew up together, so I have no issues with your relationship,” Zhi Gang started. “But this is a workplace.”

Cheng Qing sighed. “So you can talk to customers about their love lives, but you won’t allow your nephew’s love life to flourish?”

“Take your gege and go home. I’ll finish cleaning up.” Zhi Gang took up the broom that had been abandoned by Cheng Qing. “Everyone has relationship problems all of a sudden. Am I living in a drama now?”

“If you are, you’re one of the main characters,” Cheng Qing said as he put his apron away. “Jiujiu, don’t forget to at least invite us for dinner after that coach sweeps you off your feet.”

Zhi Gang moved to smack his nephew with the broom, but Cheng Qing slipped away before grabbing Feng He and running off for the night.

\------

“Dr. Yu, this quiz of yours was so unfair!” Wang Zhen Wen followed closely on Xi Gu’s heels after their lecture. His step-brother Wang Zhen Wu dutifully followed behind, although he made no objections to the difficulty of the day’s quiz. “We definitely didn’t go over gravitational fields like this!”

Xi Gu smiled. “So you have been paying attention in class.”

“Of course I have!”

Xi Gu opened the door to his office and stepped inside, eyes only on his books, not noticing the jaws of his two students dropping. “Well if you did pay attention, you would remember that this problem was simply looking at gravity with vectors and-”

“Holy shit! That’s a lot of balloons!” Zhen Wen interjected. Zhen Wu immediately slapped his hand over Zhen Wen’s mouth. 

Xi Gu finally looked around to see numerous balloons, garlands made of origami stars, and a cake box on his desk. With a creeping suspicion, Xi Gu opened the card on top of the box. 

“ _ Happy birthday, Xi Gu! Since you’re researching the stars, I figured I’d give you some for your birthday. Make a wish on each one! ~ Xiang Hao Ting _ .”

Xi Gu looked up from his card and reached up towards the garlands. More than a thousand colorful origami stars were just out of reach, just like the ones in the sky. A joyful smile broke out and Xi Gu even jumped to try and reach just one. 

Realizing the moment, Zhen Wu guided Zhen Wen out of the room. It was only when they were out of earshot that Zhen Wen struggled out of the hold and frowned. 

“What even just happened back there?” Zhen Wen scratched his head and completely missed the looks Zhen Wu gave him. “I’ve never seen a professor act like that!”

“There are some things going on. Xia Yu Hao has been talking about it plenty, you know.”

“Eh? He has? He’s been ignoring us for that Qiu Zi Xuan! How did you even know anything?!”

“He hasn’t been ignoring us. You’ve been ignoring everyone.”

As if he had said the magic words, Zhen Wen realized how close Zhen Wu was to him and inched away just a bit. It was just barely noticeable but Zhen Wu knew a lot about his step-brother and noticed it all the same. “I’m not ignoring anyone!”

“Then how about we go home together today? You don’t have any more classes, right?”

“I…” Zhen Wen’s eyes darted around. “I’m going to go talk to that Xia Yu Hao about this! How dare he keep secrets from his friends! You go home first.”

Zhen Wen stormed off and Zhen Wu’s eyes followed him for a moment before he walked after him.

\------

In the post lecture scramble to leave, Hao Ting kept a careful eye on his students, usually to make sure no one forgot anything and to just barely catch any gossip. Particularly on questions and problem sets that they were having trouble with. It was always fun to tease adding the kinds of questions they feared on exams and then having them sigh in relief to see they might have avoided a bomb.

But today, his attention was taken away by one student trying to shove another away. Although his face was angry, there was color high on his cheeks and on his ears. The student bothering him was slowly being pulled away by a friend and the bothered student had a friend with him as well, trying to calm him down. Hao Ting ran up the isles and intervened. 

“Is there a problem?” Hao Ting got a better look at their faces upon arriving. The troublemaker was Chiang Jin Teng, one of the top students in the class. His friend was Lei Zhong Jun, the president of some library club. The student who was being bothered was Shao Yi Chen and he was held back by his friend Li Mo Bai. Hao Ting decided to settle with Jin Teng first. “Mr. Chiang, do I need to be involved in the resolution of this?”

Jin Teng pulled his arms out of Zhong Jun’s grasp and bowed. “Not at all professor. I was just leaving. I’ve already said what I need to say to Yi Chen.” He turned to Yi Chen and smirked before leaving. Zhong Jun also bowed before leaving as well. 

Hao Ting put a hand on Yi Chen’s shoulder after the two had left. “Do you want to report him for harassment?”

“It’s… complicated...” Yi Chen looked at Mo Bai. “I’ll talk to professor about it. Go take notes for me in our next class.”

Mo Bai nodded. “I’ll catch you up. Please take care of him, Dr. Xiang.” With that, Mo Bai ran off, but just around the doorway, Hao Ting saw Mo Bai run right into Zhong Jun’s chest, turn a bright red, and continue on, with Zhong Jun at his heels.

Hao Ting sat down in one of the lecture seats and Yi Chen followed. Yi Chen seemed to bite the inside of his cheeks in thought before he found his courage. “Dr. Xiang… Have you ever liked someone?”

“Eh?! W-What does that have to do with what just happened?” Yi Chen seemed to withdraw a little so Hao Ting cleared his throat before saying, “I have. I do like someone, right now. I’m trying to get them to like me back.”

Yi Chen sighed. “How did you know that you wanted to take a chance? How did you know that that person might be good for you?”

“Are you… considering a relationship with Chiang Jin Teng?”

“In another life? I think I did.” Yi Chen’s lips contorted into a self-deprecating smile. “We actually went to the same high school… And back then… We… Got involved.” Yi Chen picked at his notebook pages to distract from the heat he felt on his face. “He made all these promises… We did all these things… And then one day he just… stopped. He walked around and told everyone he had a girlfriend.

“I swore after that, that I would never be involved or associated with Chiang Jin Teng again. So I came here, tried to start a new life, avoid him entirely… How was I supposed to know he’d find me in the Physics department even when my major used to be something else? And his major isn’t even Physics! He just took this class to come after me!

“And now he just… Won’t leave… He keeps coming for me, trying to persuade me that we belong together… and it hurts. It hurts because he might forget what he did to me, but I still remember. And it hurts because…” Yi Chen looked up at Hao Ting, tears of frustration growing in his eyes. “I think I might still like him…. How can I? How can I still like someone who hurt me?” 

Hao Ting nodded and sighed. “You kids really have it tough these days, don’t you?” He put a hand on Yi Chen’s shoulder. “You have every right to be hurt. I would be too. And I won’t tell you to take back Chiang Jin Teng.” Hao Ting looked up at the ceiling. “The person I like… I thought it’d run its course… We’re actually… very different after I knew more about them. 

“But then I kept finding things to like. I kept finding reasons to think of them. And that’s how I knew.” Hao Ting turned back to Yi Chen. “If you truly cannot forget Chiang Jin Teng, you need to ask yourself why. You need to give yourself closure so you stop hurting and obsessing. And in the process he might stop obsessing and let you go.”

“But… Dr. Xiang, I don’t want to forgive him!”

“Who said you should forgive him?” Hao Ting asked seriously. “Closure does not mean you forgive or forget. Closure means that you find peace, either by answering the questions you have or finding the will to let go. And you need to do that with Chiang Jin Teng. Find what you need to so you either let go or accept it.

“But whatever you do, if he continues to be so domineering and aggressive, be safe. If you need help, you can always come to me. As your professor, I’ll do whatever I can to help you be safe.”

Yi Chen finally smiled properly. “Thank you, Dr. Xiang. I didn’t expect you’d give such good advice.”

Hao Ting put on an offended expression. “Song Yi Chen, I am your wise and respectable professor! I always have good advice!”

“Your advice on how to remember whether to integrate or derive the equation for electrical force into the equation for potential energy was pretty confusing…”

“Hey!”

“But… Can I ask who the person you like is?” 

Hao Ting smirked. “Take a guess.”

Yi Chen pursed his lips. “Is it Dr. Yu?”

“Hey! How did you know that?!”

“Oh… Just guessed!” Yi Chen laughed nervously. “It’s not so obvious, I promise you!” 

“ _ It’s just that everyone’s been overhearing you _ ,” Yi Chen thought to himself. “ _ And now there’s a group chat. _ ”

\------

The warmth of spring soon arrived on the campus and Xi Gu and Hao Ting continued to circle each other. A dance that soon all Physics students were discussing in secret chats. 

While several factions were clearly in favor of Dr. Xiang winning over Dr. Yu, some did express their concerns as this spring would be Dr. Yu’s tenure review. Provided that everything showed his progress and good standing, tenure would be given for sure. However, Dr. Xiang’s tendency to be just a bit more chaotic than the school had expected was an issue. 

But, if Dr. Yu was stuck in the middle of Dr. Xiang’s schemes, who knew what the outcome would be? Of course, it was during one of these schemes that any fears the students had were brought to fruition and then dealt with soundly.

As it turned out, Dr. Xiang and Dr. Yu both taught introductory Physics courses and motion in two directions was one of the first topics to be taught. Of this, the easiest model was to look at trajectories of projectiles. So, naturally, Dr. Xiang proposed a method that would be fun for both their classes and allow them to apply the knowledge and formulas they had just learned: a water balloon fight.

The freshman students were all on board and Dr. Yu was swept up in the enthusiasm to agree. He firmly denied any role Dr. Xiang’s begging and smile had on his decision. The less said about the jars of pickled carrots and piles of bento boxes that the students didn’t know about, the better. 

On a sunny day, just barely warm enough to play with water, the students of Dr. Yu and Dr. Xiang set up their battle stations, armed with buckets of water balloons and parts to build contraptions to launch projectiles at set angles. The initial mood was light and fun, but it all took a turn after the first balloons were launched. One particularly fast balloon hit poor Gu Si Ren, a good student who was often sick and a little frail, in the head. 

Si Ren fell to the ground immediately and one of his classmates, Mai Ying Xiong, also often called Hero, ran to help him. 

“Gu Si Ren? Gu Si Ren, are you okay?” Hero tried to wake the other boy up, but he wouldn’t budge. At the very least, Si Ren was still breathing. Dr. Yu and Dr. Xiang immediately intervened and stopped any other balloons from flying.

“Mai Ying Xiong, take Gu Si Ren to the infirmary immediately. If required, take him to the hospital,” Dr. Yu ordered.

“Why does Hero have to do it?” Lan Xi, another freshman, tried to pull Hero away. The rest of the students politely looked away from the scene she was causing. It was no secret that Lan Xi liked Hero, but Hero had never really responded to her advances. “It’s not your problem!”

Hero shook Lan Xi’s hand off. “I’m doing it because I want to. Go back with your friends.” Hero looked to the professors. “I’ll be going. I will let you know if anything happens.”

As Hero ran off, Si Ren cradled rather carefully in his arms, Dr. Yu and Dr. Xiang turned to their students and dismissed them. “Can’t risk any more incidents today,” Dr. Xiang said. 

Dr. Yu had only stayed quiet and looked at the ground after dismissing his students. 

Not too long after, Hero had contacted both professors and said that Si Ren was shaken, but fine. And if anyone noticed how Hero was nearly adhered to Si Ren’s side after that, they were too nice to say anything about it. 

However, Dr. Yu and Dr. Xiang were both brought before Dr. Tang the following day.

“Do either of you want to explain how a student was hurt during what should have been a very safe lab exercise?”

Xi Gu opened his mouth, but Hao Ting stepped forward first. “The student was one of Dr. Yu’s, yes. But it was one of my students that had improperly modified the projectile device.” Xi Gu ignored the phantom pain in his chest at being addressed so formally by Hao Ting. “The idea to use this as a lab class was also mine. I ask that you please pardon Dr. Yu. I will take all the blame and punishment.”

“Hao Ting!” Xi Gu reached out, but Hao Ting ignored him. “You can’t just-”

“Dr. Xiang,” Dr. Tang started. “Do you really believe all the blame is yours? Didn’t Dr. Yu also agree to the exercise?”

“He might have, but it wouldn’t have happened if I didn’t badger him. I must firmly ask you to only punish me.”

Dr. Tang turned on Xi Gu. “So, what about you, Dr. Yu? Do you believe all the blame is on Dr. Xiang?”

Xi Gu shook his head. “I am still responsible for the welfare of my students. That anything happened, I should also be held responsible. Even if Gu Si Ren is known to have health problems. That means even more, I should have kept a closer eye on him.”

“Don’t be dumb,” Hao Ting hissed. “Do you want to mess up your tenure review? Just say it’s all my fault!”

“And what about you? Don’t you want to stop causing trouble,” Xi Gu hissed back.

“I have plenty of time left. I only just got started.” Hao Ting smiled cheekily and Xi Gu bit his own cheeks to prevent that infectious thing from making him smile as well. “Don’t worry about me.”

“This is all very touching,” Dr. Tang said. “But in any case, I’ve already made my decision about disciplinary measures.” Dr. Tang stood up from his chair and Xi Gu and Hao Ting stood up a little straighter. “Gu Si Ren has not pressed any charges and says it is his own fault for not minding his own health issues. No lasting damage was done and it was only a water balloon. So there will be no disciplinary actions taken.” Dr. Tang smiled, but it did not ease Hao Ting or Xi Gu. “I only called you both in here to ask one thing.

“Why wasn’t I invited?”

“EH?!”

\------

Zhao Zi watched, perched upon Liang Dian’s lap, as Dr. Xiang chased after Dr. Yu with a few lunch boxes. Dr. Yu seemed to be storming away, but there was no mistaking the smile on his face. 

“When do you think they’ll ever get together?” Zhao Zi asked as he bit into a steamed bun that Liang Dian put into his hands. 

“Probably never,” Yu Hao said as he put a lunch box in front of Zi Xuan. “There, eat that instead. Your sister’s cooking is lethal. I don’t know why you keep taking the boxes she makes for you.”

“Because she’s worked hard on it!”

“Sister complex!”

Zi Xuan looked to the rest of the students at the table for support. He found none.

“Sister complex,” Zhen Wen said.

“Sister complex,” echoed Zhen Wu.

“Sister complex,” Tang Yi repeated.

Zi Xuan looked to Shao Fei and Shao Fei just shook his head since his mouth was full. Liang Dian only gave Zi Xuan a smile and Zhao Zi ignored it all in favor of eating more buns.

“First of all, Senior Tang has a sister complex for sure, so he shouldn’t talk,” Zi Xuan fired back.

“Have you met Zuo Hong Ye? Who wouldn’t just listen to what she says?” Shao Fei finally said after swallowing.

“Aren’t you the one who delights in frustrating her?”

“Yes. Yes I am.”

“So are you just trying to defend Tang Yi?”

Tang Yi looked at Shao Fei out of the corner of his eye and saw Shao Fei’s ears turn pink. “No-N-Nonsense!”

Zi Xuan turned to Zhen Wen. “And you shouldn’t talk either. You have a brother complex.”

Before Zhen Wen could start a fight, Zhao Zi interjected. “Look! Dr. Yu is blushing!” The argument was dropped in favor of watching Dr. Yu blush while Dr. Xiang tried to feed him. “I hope they get together soon. Then they could teach a class together!”

Liang Dian poked Zhao Zi in the cheek. “Why would they need to be together to do that?”

Zhao Zi poked him back. “Because then they’d stop politely avoiding each other academically.”

“Wait, what do you mean they’ve been avoiding each other academically,” Shao Fei asked. Zhao Zi rolled his eyes.

“Dr. Yu analyzes data from distant star systems and analyzes potential planets and works out interesting things about the stars. He’s always looking for more accurate data. Dr. Xiang works on increasing sensitivity of radio telescopes and developing new technology that will surpass them. They’re completely complementary! 

“However, Dr. Yu and Dr. Xiang are avoiding collaboration efforts despite how obvious it is that they should do it simply because they’re trying to keep work and personal lives separate. First it was for Dr. Yu’s tenure review, which he passed with flying colors. Now it’s about being professional at work, but in love personally.” Zhao Zi sighed. “It’s so romantic.”

“When did you think about all this?” Liang Dian haded Zhao Zi a box filled with sesame seed balls filled with red bean paste. His eyes were shining with delight. “I didn’t know you liked doing this kind of profiling. It’s kind of hot…”

Zhao Zi took the box away before slapping Liang Dian’s arm. “It’s soooo obvious! Also I looked up their CVs and I might have peeked at Dr. Xiang’s emails after class one time…”

“I’m so turned on right now.” Zhao Zi’s only response to that was to raise an eyebrow and wiggle just a bit in Liang Dian’s lap until he held Zhao Zi still.

“Ok, I’m going to ignore how constantly horny you two are and redirect the conversation back to Dr. Yu and Dr. Xiang,” Shao Fei announced. 

“Motion seconded,” Zi Xuan said.

“Third,” Yu Hao said quickly.

“The motion passes,” Tang Yi said cooly. “So what do you want to do about them?”

“We go for the age old method that always works. We lock them in a room together,” Shao Fei said confidently.

“So is that what you’re saying we should also do to you and Tang Yi,” Zhao Zi asked before running away from the chopsticks that Shao Fei had thrown at him.

\------

“Dr. Yu! Dr. Xiang! Please! You have to help!” Yi Chen ran into the office where the two professors were having lunch. “It’s Gu Si Ren! He’s collapsed again!”

“Where is he?” Hao Ting stood up immediately and Xi Gu followed suit.

“This way!”

Yi Chen lead them down a few hallways until they came to a small classroom. Yi Chen opened the door and gestured for the professors to enter. Immediately the two charged in and found it empty.

“What the-” The door slammed shut and Hao Ting banged on the door. “Song Yi Chen! What do you think you’re doing?!”

Xi Gu pulled Hao Ting away from the door and listened against it. “The students are gone. There’s no one outside.”

“What a… After all that help I gave him, that Yi Chen is really ungrateful!”

“Don’t be mad at him. It’s just a childish prank,” Xi Gu said as he sat at a desk. “I remember you’ve pulled plenty of those in your time.”

“But Xi Gu!” Hao Ting fell to his knees at Xi Gu’s feet and Xi Gu had to swallow the sudden burst of saliva in his mouth. “I’ve never pulled this kind of prank on my professors! I learned my lesson, I promise you!”

“Why do you work so hard to persuade me about this,” Xi Gu asked. “It’s already happened or didn’t happen.”

“But if you keep believing poorly of my character, how will I ever persuade you?”

Xi Gu’s heart skipped a beat and suddenly beat twice as fast. “P-Persuade me?”

Hao Ting leaned closer, hands resting on Xi Gu’s knees. Xi Gu felt them burning through his slacks. “Persuade you to date me, of course.”

“Is that what you’ve been doing?” Xi Gu licked his lips unconsciously. Hao Ting’s eyes tracked the motion entirely. “There’s no need to joke with me.” 

“You know that’s what I’ve been doing! Bo Xiang told me you’ve talked to Lu Zhi Gang about me!”

“Who? The coach?” Xi Gu’s eyes widened. “Wait,  _ the _ coach? Zhi Gang-ge’s coach?” Xi Gu’s ears turned red. “Oh no.”

Hao Ting’s smile turned triumphant. “I have been getting to you! You can’t play dumb with me, Yu Xi Gu!”

“You…” Xi Gu sighed. “Okay… I acknowledge you’ve been trying to persuade me but-”

“But you’ve got your tenure now.”

“Yes but-”

“And we’ve both been professional.” 

Xi Gu scoffed. “Barely.”

“And if you believe in my good character now that I’ve told you that I never pulled any pranks on my professors…”

“I’m still not so sure about that,” Xi Gu replied, but his eyes were shining with mirth.

“Then what other objections can you have?”

Xi Gu cupped Hao Ting’s cheek and Hao Ting leaned into it, still staring up at Xi Gu as if he held all the stars in the universe in his eyes. “What do you even like about me?”

“What is there not to like?!” Hao Ting suddenly stood up. “Yu Xi Gu, you are so many things! I wanted to marry you after reading your recent paper on the accuracy of calculating whether a planet is in a zone permissible for life!”

“You read that paper?” 

“Of course I did! You even cited my paper on improving the accuracy of radio telescopes!” Hao Ting held Xi Gu’s hands. “You’re so amazing and wonderful. What don’t I like about you?” 

“Hao Ting…” Xi Gu looked at their joined hands. “You… you really like me that much?”

“I really do.” Hao Ting moved just a bit closer. “Do you like me too?”

Xi Gu looked to the side and then around them despite knowing there was no one else in the room. He lifted up Hao Ting’s hands to his lips and kissed the knuckles and Hao Ting felt his knees wobble as if they were made of jelly. “Maybe I do.”

“So… Will you date me?” Hao Ting asked before he kissed Xi Gu’s knuckles. 

“So what you’re saying is… All our lunches haven’t been dates?”

Hao Ting’s face lit up. “Of course they are! If you want to count them, I’ll definitely count them! Xi Gu, I’ll make you lunch every day so we can have our dates every day!”

“That’s too excessive. I’ll cook some too.”

“Let’s cook together!” Hao Ting’s smile grew brighter and brighter and Xi Gu couldn’t help but smile as well. “We can make our lunches for the week together! And then eat together and… Maybe get dinner together?”

“Okay. I approve of this. But we split the bill, always.”

“Yes, yes, whatever you want,” Hao Ting agreed.

Xi Gu laughed at last, but he did kiss Hao Ting’s cheek first so to soften the blow. “I’m surprised you’re being so agreeable.”

“How can I not be? I just had the best thing in my life happen to me,” Hao Ting said in a daze. 

“But I have one last question.” Xi Gu poked Hao Ting in the chest. “Why couldn’t you say all this sooner? Why wait until now when we’re locked in here?”

“Would you have believed me before? Without getting to know me past the boy you knew in high school?” Hao Ting put his arms around Xi Gu’s shoulders. “Young me was an idiot and a fool. You were always so serious, would you honestly say you would date me if that was the only thing you knew about me?”

Xi Gu put his arms around Hao Ting’s waist. “Did you know? Young me always wondered what it would be like to know young you…”

“Are you saying I would have had a chance back then?”

“Who knows? But, you have a chance now. Don’t waste it.”

“I won’t! I definitely won’t!” Hao Ting spun them around and Xi Gu could feel it, that lightness and carefree feeling that he wanted back then. It seemed as if his young speculations were true, being around Hao Ting could cause such levity. And it felt amazing too.

“So if you won’t waste this chance, how about you get us out of this room so we can finish our lunch?”

Hao Ting pulled out his cell phone. “I’m on it.”

\------

“Do you think it worked?” Yi Chen asked as Jin Teng tried to pull him into his lap. Yi Chen only smacked his hands away. “I hope they aren’t mad I tricked them.”

“If they are, I’ll get the disciplinary committee to let you go,” Jin Teng promised.

“You can’t keep using your money and family’s positions like that!”

“If it makes you happy, I’ll use anything and everything at my disposal!”

Yi Chen huffed, but continued his lookout on the classroom. Soon a security guard came and unlocked the door. Dr. Yu and Dr. Xiang emerged, looking to be in good spirits. Then came the obvious hints. A touch of the fingers along a wrist, a smile that was too earnest, the closeness of their bodies, and the softness of Dr. Xiang’s expressions. 

“They’ve done it!” Yi Chen cheered before pulling out his phone and tapping out a text. “They’ve confessed!”

“Tch, how can you tell?”

Yi Chen pointed at the two professors, now walking hand in hand down the hallway. “That’s how people in love are supposed to act. Not like,” Yi Chen gestured to the space between him and Jin Teng, “Whatever it is you do to me.”

“I do love you. I love you so much, I’ll die!”

“But did you ever ask if I still love you?!” Jin Teng finally stepped back. “Did you ever ask how hurt I am after what you did in high school? Did you really think that after all the things you promised and breaking each one, that I would be okay? Just waiting here, arms wide open?” Yi Chen inhaled sharply before sighing. “You can’t ask these things of me Chiang Jin Teng. It hurts too much.” Yi Chen looked at his phone. “I’m going to go report to the seniors about how this worked. Good bye, Jin Teng.” Yi Chen walked away and Jin Teng was left to contemplate the two examples of love he knew, his own and that between the two professors.

\------

In Zhi Gang’s soy milk store, four glasses were raised in a toast. “To Zhi Gang-ge and Coach Sun. I’m very happy for both of you. Congratulations on your engagement,” Xi Gu said. “Cheers!”

After going through the motions and taking a drink, Bo Xiang finally protested. “Ah Xi Gu! You don’t have to be so formal with me anymore! Now that I’m marrying Zhi Gang-ge, you should call me ge as well!” 

“En, if Bo Xiang-ge insists.”

A tear welled in the corner of Bo Xiang’s eye. “I never thought I’d hear someone call me ge…” He ran over to shake Xi Gu by the shoulders. “Say it again!”

“Hey! Stop bullying Xi Gu!” Hao Ting pushed Bo Xiang back. “Don’t forget, I’m your ge and-”

“Wait… why do you have anything to do with…” Zhi Gang looked between Xi Gu and Hao Ting. “Did you… Did you two start dating?” The blush on Xi Gu’s face and smile on Hao Ting’s told him everything. “So the rumors from the students around here are true.”

“Eh?! You two are dating?!” Bo Xiang jumped up and down. “Great news! Great news! Let’s cheers again!”

“Wait, the students are talking about us?” Xi Gu paused mid-raising of his cup. “They planned this? Why didn’t you tell me, Zhi Gang-ge?!”

“They planned on locking us in the room?” Hao Ting frowned. “Those sneaky little-”

“I never thought they’d go through with it,” Zhi Gang said with confusion. “Who honestly thinks a bunch of Physics students would lock two professors inside a classroom to make them confess, much less that it was actually you two.”

“Those kids…” Hao Ting sighed. “More trouble than anything.”

“Na, just let it go,” Xi Gu said as he rubbed Hao Ting’s shoulder. “No sense in going after them for it. No one was hurt, and you were going to confess at some point anyway.”

“And you weren’t?!”

Xi Gu just coughed and Zhi Gang held up his cup. “Anyway, cheers to Xiao Gu and Xiao Ting. I look forward to seeing you both happy and together, always.”

“Your approval, as Xi Gu’s ge, means a lot to me,” Hao Ting said as he tapped his glass against Zhi Gang’s. “But I’m still going to give those students one hell of an exam later this semester.”

Xi Gu sighed and pat Hao Ting on the back before whispering, “Me too.”

(In the Physics department, all of the students at University H sneezed at the same time and felt a sudden chill descend upon them, as if the cold of space had penetrated their bones. Even Dr. Tang sniffled briefly.)

**Author's Note:**

> Cameos:  
> HIStory 1  
> My Hero: Mai Ying Xiong and Gu Si Ren  
> Stay Away From Me: Cheng Qing and Feng He  
> Obsessed: Shao Yi Chen and Chiang Jin Teng, Li Mo Bai and Lei Zhong Jun  
> HIStory 2  
> Crossing the Line: Qiu Zi Xuan and Xia Yu Hao, Wang Zhen Wen, Wang Zhen Wu  
> HIStory3  
> Trapped: Meng Shao Fei and Tang Yi, Jack (Fang Liang Dian) and Zhao Zi (Zhao Li An)


End file.
